Huddersfield Town: We do not need to sell Smithies to Everton - or anybody

May 8 2009 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

It’s a round-robin format, with the winners of the mini-league going on to the eight-strong championship final stages in Ukraine in July.

“I wouldn’t want to stand in the way of any player representing his country, but we have to put Alex’s long-term welfare first,” explained Clark, himself a former England Under 21 midfielder.

“We’re monitoring his recovery at the moment, and if he is named in the squad, we’ll review things then, but clearly he needs to be fully fit if he is to figure.

“We’ve also got to take a long-term view, because like all players, Alex needs a proper break from the game.”

Smithies, who made a name for himself at the Under 17 World Cup in Korea two years ago, has had three Under 19 call-ups previously, making one appearance, in the 3-0 defeat by Spain at Bournemouth in February.

His main rivals between the posts are Manchester United’s Ben Amos and Middlesbrough’s Jason Steele.

Clark, meanwhile, has confirmed that German defender Dominik Werling is leaving Town.

The 26-year-old former Barnsley player made just three appearances, all as a substitute, after signing a short-term deal in January.